RESIDENTIAL BUILDING DAMAGE FROM VOLCANIC ASHFALL IN FUTALEUFU, CHILE

From 2-6 May 2008, following a plinian eruption of Chaitén volcano, rhyolitic ash fell over 20,000 km² of southern Chile and Argentina. An estimated volume up to ~4 km³ (non dense rock equivalent) of rhyolitic magma was erupted mostly during the explosive phase during which both urban and rural communities were affected. The town of Futaleufú, Chile (~70 km away) received a total thickness of 300 mm of ashfall and suffered disruption to water supply, electricity supply, transportation, and telecommunication services. Both residential and commercial buildings suffered gutter damage, corrosion of roof cladding, limited structural damage to several roofs, and internal contamination by ash. Research is underway to itemize the damage observed in Futaleufú and assess the impact to the local building stock.